According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Security Council often fails to find a common language on the Syrian crisis

MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. Russia was forced to recall its draft statement of the United Nations Security Council condemning the March 11 terror attack in Damascus because a number of Western countries tried to change the document’s essence, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Security Council often fails to find a common language on the Syrian crisis. "Thus, the politically-motivated position of a number of its Western members made it impossible to reach consensus on the Russia-initiated draft press statement condemning the hideous terror attack in Damascus on March 11 that claimed, according to the latest reports, more than 70 lives," the ministry said. "Seeking to realize their notorious political goals they tried to change the document’s wording by means of including provisions that could be seen as accusations in respect of the Syrian authorities and justification of terrorists’ actions. As a result, we were forced to recall the draft."

"During discussion of the text representatives of these countries openly gave to understand that they have ‘another standard’ in respect of Syria that does not envisage unconditional condemnation of terrorism," the ministry noted. "Such approach is fraught with most disastrous consequences."

"At the same time, we think it vitally important that the Damascus attack was resolutely condemned by the United Nations Secretary General," the ministry stressed.

Apart from that, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that on March 10 the United Nations Security Council adopted a press statement on the results of another round of intra-Syrian talks that had ended in Geneva on March 3. "During work on this document, the Russian delegation managed to preserve its balanced character as key emphasis was made on issues of political settlement," the ministry said.

"The statement hails the results of the Geneva talks and fixes the parameters suggested by United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Syria that include four equal ‘baskets’ for further talks, namely issues of administration, constitutional reform, elections and joint anti-terrorism efforts," the ministry said. "Special emphasis was made on the significance of the Astana process involving representatives of the Syrian authorities and the armed opposition."

On Saturday, suicide bombers blew themselves up in a crowd of Shia pilgrims at Bab al-Saghir cemetery, a Shia Muslim site of worship, sandwiched between Bab Musalla and Bab al-Jabiya neighborhoods south of the Umayyad Mosque, a Damascus’ landmark site. According to the latest reports, as many as 74 people, most of them Iraqi pilgrims, were killed. More than 100 were wounded.